Three-dimensional, photocatalytic filter apparatus

Abstract

A three-dimensional, photocatalytic filter apparatus is constituted by (a) a flow path means through which a fluid stream containing pollutants passes; (b) a plurality of porous filter plates each carrying a photocatalyst for decomposing the pollutants; (c) a light source; and (d) at least one support member for arranging each porous filter plate in a path of the fluid stream in the flow path means, at such a three-dimensional position that each porous filter plate is inclined relative to both the fluid stream and the light source, to achieve sufficient contact with the pollutants and sufficient exposure to the light source.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A three-dimensional, photocatalytic filter apparatus comprising a plurality of porous filter plates each carrying a photocatalyst for decomposing pollutants in a fluid stream which comes into contact with said porous filter plates, said porous filter plates being arranged in a path of said fluid stream defined by a flow path means such that each porous filter plate is inclined relative to both said fluid stream and a light source, to achieve sufficient contact with said pollutants and sufficient exposure to said light source, wherein 
       said flow path means is constituted by a pair of parallel, transparent sheets, and said light source is disposed outside at least one of said parallel, transparent sheets, and each of said porous filter plates is inclined by 15-75° relative to said fluid stream and by 15-75° relative to said light source.  
     
     
       2. The three-dimensional, photocatalytic filter apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein each of said porous filter plates is constituted by a porous substrate, a porous layer of fine particles deposited on at least one surface of said porous substrate and a photocatalyst layer deposited on a surface of said porous layer. 
     
     
       3. The three dimensional, photocatalytic filter apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein said porous substrate and/or said porous layer is made of a meted from the group consisting of Fe, Al, Ti, Cu and their alloys. 
     
     
       4. The three-dimensional, photocatalytic filter apparatus according to claim  3 , wherein said porous substrate and/or said porous layer is made of stainless steel. 
     
     
       5. The three-dimensional, photocatalytic filter apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein said porous substrate is constituted by a net or mesh of metal wires or a perforated metal sheet. 
     
     
       6. A three dimensional, photocatalytic filter apparatus comprising a plurality of porous filter plates each carrying a photocatalyst for decomposing pollutants in a fluid stream which comes into contact with said porous filter plates, said porous filter plates being arranged in a path of said fluid stream defined by a flow path means such that each porous filter plate is inclined relative to both said fluid stream and a light source, to achieve sufficient contact with said pollutants and sufficient exposure to said light source, wherein 
       said flow path means is constituted by a pair of parallel, transparent sheets, and said light source is disposed outside at least one of said parallel, transparent sheets, and each of said porous filter plates is inclined by 15-75° relative to said fluid stream and by 15-75° relative to said light source, said porous filter plates further intersecting each other in a lattice pattern such that all of said porous filter plates are inclined relative to both said fluid stream and said light source, to achieve sufficient contact with said pollutants and sufficient exposure to said light source.  
     
     
       7. The three-dimensional, photocatalytic filter apparatus according to claim  6 , wherein said porous filter plates in one direction are inclined by 15-75° relative to said light source, and said porous filter plates in the other direction are inclined by 75-15° relative to said light source.